Proraso Green – Menthol Medicine

Proraso Green – Menthol Medicine

Pre-shave Thoughts:

I’ve decided to reach for the old classic Proraso Green shaving cream for this morning’s shave. For some reason, I’ve failed to this point to chronicle my Proraso Green shave experience and thought today was as good as any to share. My face is feeling healthy and hydrated with a few days whisker growth to knock down. Let’s give this shave a go.

Post-shave Thoughts:

Now that was an eye-opening and refreshing shave. After placing a 2-3 cm dollop of Proraso Green shaving cream into the center of the damp (soaked in hot tap water while showering) Semogue 830 brush, I gave a few easy swirls on my moist and freshly showered face to spread the cream around. Then, I began my face lather with a vigorous swirling stroke. Very quickly a loose, large bubble sud developed that shortly transformed into a decent Proraso Green lather in under 30 seconds of swirling. The Semogue 830 is perhaps the softest and least stiff boar bristle brush in my fleet. By far, it took the least amount of time to break in and provides a luxurious lathering experience. The acrylic resin handle is stout, ergonomic and looks classy in my eye. While it may take a bit more product to produce the same quality lather as most of my synthetics, the Semogue 830 has a pampering face feel that I truly appreciate. The Proraso Green lather was adequately dense and abundant on my face as well as in the brush.

I completed my standard three pass shave, one pass with the whisker growth, then two subsequent passes across the stubble pattern in opposing directions. The Merkur 15c Open Comb cut with smooth precision paired with the high-value, sharp and smooth Dorco ST-301 blade. I appreciate the slim nimble handle of the Merkur 15c, and the open comb allowed for a more efficient stroke through my multi-day whisker growth. The razor glided satisfactorily on the Proraso Green lather. In between passes, there was little residual slickness left and my facial skin felt mildly dry, but not overly so. I find this somewhat common in using shaving creams. While I can’t wax poetic on the slickness or protective cushion of Proraso Green cream lather, I was able to achieve a decent, close shave without irritation or wounds.

The scent of Proraso Green is fairly simple. While applying the cream to the brush, I did not pick-up much scent. But, as I began the face lather, a strong menthol eucalyptus aroma emerged with force. It’s a bold aroma that is clean and medicinal in nature and maybe slightly chemically. As I felt the soothing and cooling menthol tingle on my skin, the heavy fumes from the lather were eye-opening and refreshing. While I usually do not enjoy over-mentholated products, Proraso Green, while strong, is not over done. The skin sensation seemed to fade as the shave progressed, but the fragrance remained strong throughout. After the final rinse, the aroma faded, but was still detectable in the air. Both the clean, medicinal, eye-opening scent and the soothing skin sensation of Proraso Green provided an enjoyable shave experience and set this cream apart from others that only offer an aromatic lather. The post-shave feel of Proraso Green is unremarkable as my face did not feel particularly nourished or supple after the final rinse.

I finished the shave with a healthy dose of Fine Accoutrements Clean Vetiver. In usual fashion, I felt the soothing alcohol sting that quickly evolved into a cooling menthol sensation that lasted for a few minutes while I cleaned up my shave tools. During the dry down, the alcohol and menthol scents faded to reveal the green grass and smokey dark earth aroma that keeps me coming back to Fine Clean Vetiver. My face felt well shaved and ready to take on the day.